


Next Time

by Trippenwitz



Series: A Rock and A Hard Place [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU where they're all chilling on the meteor after the game i guess, F/M, more excuses for smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-03
Updated: 2012-12-15
Packaged: 2017-11-20 04:28:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/581303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trippenwitz/pseuds/Trippenwitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time for promises to be fulfilled, and sixteen year-olds to be awkward.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_\---ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]---_  
  
  
  
EB: hahaha, okay!

EB: oh man, sorry it took so long to respond. you’ll never believe what just happened!  
  
EB: terezi spilled some juice in the kitchen, so jade was gonna clean it up.  
  
EB: and she was all “quick get me a bucket and mop!” to karkat!  
  
EB: and oh man!  
  
EB: he was just freaking out, like flailing and screaming all over the place!

EB: like he was a human humming bird!  
  
EB: except a troll  
  
EB: and also if hummingbirds could yell exceptionally loud and swear and throw things at people who laugh.  
  
EB: ouch, by the way. ;(  
  
EB: oh but anyways! hah, sorry, I got all chatterboxy on you.  
  
EB: what did you want to talk about?  
  
  
  
EB: rose?  
  
TT: Nothing.  
  
 _\---tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering ectobiologist [EB]---_  
  
EB: huh?  
  
EB: o....kay?  
  
  
  
 _\---tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering ectobiologist [EB]---_  
  
EB: okay, this is off to a good start  
EB: ???  
  
  
TT: No, I refuse to back down on this.  
  
TT: I am doing this.  
  
TT: You might even say that I am making this ‘hapen’.  
  
EB: wow, i am so confused.  
  
TT: It’s okay, I'm aware I’m being slightly more cryptic than usual.  
  
TT: No one would blame you for being a little befuddled.  
  
TT: Or irritated.  
  
TT: It would be stupid for someone to invite you for a chat only to disappear in a cloud of pretentious mystery. What kind of idiot would do that?  
  
TT: An idiot, that’s who.  
  
TT: No one would blame you for being annoyed and immediately ceasing conversation with all irritating parties.  
  
EB: woah woah, hey!  
  
EB: come on, no one’s annoyed!  
  
EB: i’m kinda confused, but that’s kind of par for the course with you sometimes!  
  
EB: so stop with all this self-insulting stuff!  
  
EB: and all this kanaya-style rambling  
  
EB: even if it is kinda cute  
  
EB: heh heh  
  
  
  
EB: rose, you there?  
  
EB: er, was that cute thing going too far or something?  
  
TT: No.  
  
TT: It was fitting.  
  
TT: I mean  
  
EB: o:  
  
TT: Oh my God this is a disaster.  
  
EB: rose?  
  
TT: Okay, I am just going to type this.  
  
TT: No pauses, no hesitance.  
  
EB: vagueness only?  
  
EB: hehehe.  
  
TT: John do you remember the cave  
  
  
  
  
  
EB: um  
  
EB: cave   
  
EB: you mean the cave  
  
TT: I mean the cave in which we hid from Jack when he surprised LOLAR three years ago.  
  
TT: The cave in which we hid for an exceptionally long time in close quarters.  
  
TT: In which being in such close quarters led to you being put in a very flustering state.  
  
TT: In such a state that I decided I would help you alleviate the accumulated tension and adrenaline through repetitive hand motions and close contact  
  
TT: otherwise known as  
  
TT: a handjob.  
  
EB:  
  
TT: The cave in which after said events we shared a kiss and you mentioned doing something akin to that handjob “next time?”.  
  
TT: The cave which made me consider that promise for quite a long time, even through all the tribulations of the game, the meet-up with the trolls, our three-year seperation, our seperate relationships with other people, the defeat of Jack and Lord English and our journey into the veil?  
  
TT: Wait, that wasn’t even a question.  
  
TT: Oh look, a blank message. That’s always a good sign.  
  
TT: Well I’ve already made a big enough fool of myself, might as well go the whole hog.  
  
TT: In a nutshell John, I understand that romantic recreation is at the very bottom of our priorities at the moment. We have been busy after all.  
  
TT: Extremely busy.  
  
TT: And even though I realize this I’ve just been considering the validity of that statement for quite some time.   
  
TT: I understand that you were in an uncommon state of mind at the time and you may have done and said some things that you didn’t truly mean, and even if you did mean them you may have changed your mind over the past couple of years.  
  
TT: What I’m trying to say is  
  
TT: I  
  
TT: I want to know if you really meant what you said  
  
TT: and if you would ever consider doing something like that again  
  
TT: now that our lives are in considerably less danger  
  
TT: although I must admit I fear I may drop dead from embarrassment at this particular moment so perhaps we’re in as much danger as before.  
  
  
  
  
  
TT: John I swear if I’m typing to an unmanned computer I will never forgive you.   
  
TT: John.  
  
TT: Please say something. Anything.  
  
EB: 10 seconds  
  
TT: What?  
  
\---ectobiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacletherapist [TT]---  



	2. Chapter 2

_What?_  The word echoes across her lips silently, but before she can think she hears the loud - **zzzt-** of the tranportalizer outside her room. Clumsy feet clatter all the way down her hall--only to miss a crucial step, sending their owner down,  _hard_ , with a resounding  _THOCK_. Rose jumps up from the computer and throws open the door to meet an upside down, wide-eyed stare behind a crooked pair of glasses.   
  
They look at each other.  
  
“John,” she finally says.   
  
“Rose,” he replies, sitting upright in less time than she thought would be possible. Rose quickly offers him a hand to help him to his feet, and that’s as far as she knows what to do. The two watch each other in anticipatory silence. John fixes his glasses, Rose fiddles with the scarf around her waist.   
  
They finally meet eyes. To a tiny bit of Rose’s relief, John looks as nervous as she feels. She plays with a strand of blond hair with feigned apathy. “Please, come in.”  
  
He obliges quickly, shutting the door behind him. Well, that’s a step forward, but now they’re stuck in silent mode yet again. Rose sighs, massaging her forehead. “John-.”  
  
And simultaneously: “Rose-.”  
  
Both pause. “You first,” she says quickly.  
  
“Oh. Right.” John taps his fingers ( _piano player’s fingers—no no, not now_ ) together in front of him, looking at the floor. “Alright…well.  
  
“So, yeah, I definitely remember the, um, cave. And what happened in it. And, um, I enjoyed it! Obviously. Ugh,” and he blushes, “okay that doesn’t even begin to describe it. Um, I…it was incredible, Rose. Amazing. And, well, I was really thankful for it, but I never really talked about it…I mean, you know, it would have been weird with everything that happened after I left and the castle and the three years and then meeting up and having Dave and Jade and the trolls around and everything. But also…”  
  
He bites down on his lower lip. “I…I was also nervous, cause…you were really mature about it, and kind of….I guess, clinical? No, that sounds mean…what I mean is that it seemed like you were just helping your idiot friend, and that it was just a favor. Like nothing…real, between us.  
  
“But it was real! To me. I don’t know how it seemed to you but I was…” He swallows, color rising in his cheeks. “I was telling the truth. When I said I liked it, and I…needed you. Because I like you! I…I really do. And…if you wanted to be in a relationship, where we could do things like that and other things, like hug and hold hands and argue about stuff and make up that’d be great too!   
  
John hooks his hands in his pockets and gives the ground a little kick. “Soooooo, to answer your questions,” he puts up a pointer finger, “yes, I did mean it,” a second finger joins it, “and yes I would consider doing something like it again, now that we’re out of danger of death by Jack, and not just cause,” he offers her an awkward smile along with his third finger, “you might ‘die of embarrassment.’ Although I think you were lying about that part because you don’t look embarrassed at all!”  
  
….Well, gold star for her then.

“Um, so.” He scratches the back of his head, laughing nervously. “You should probably pinch me or something, cause this seems too good to be true. But, on the tiny-tiny-tiny chance this is real—.”

Whatever he wants to propose is silenced by her lips. John tenses for the smallest moment, only to wrap his arms around her enthusiastically, bringing her flush against his chest. They kiss joyfully, bumping glasses against skin and not even caring.   
  
At one point John actually spins her around a bit, making her giggle and break the kiss. For a moment they just press their foreheads together and hold onto each other, laughing as giddily as they had that day they had escaped Jack. Finally Rose catches her breath and looks into John’s eyes, and she gives a small, tender smile. “Thank you,” she says, touching the corner of his grin gently. “You have no idea how ridiculously anxious I was telling you that. You might even say…nervous.”  
  
  
  
“What?!” He claps a hand to his cheek, letting his mouth fall open in a perfect O of sarcastic surprise. “Miss Grimdark Queen-of-the-Books Rose Lalonde,  _nervous_? Maybe even  _flustered?_ How is that even  _possible?_ ”  
  
She chuckles. “John.”  
  
“No really, get Marlon Brando in here, cause it’s the APOCALYPSE, NOW! Or at least it would be if it hadn’t already kind of happened. But oh my GOD—!”  
  
“John.” And her smile gains a bit more confidence. “If you’re done having fun at my expense, you’d remember that reason this conversation happened.”  
  
“Uh-huh? What about it?”  
  
Slowly she leans in to bump noses, smiling mischievously. “I believe that I was promised something akin to what transpired during our day in the cave. Something…’next time?’”

The shift of his expression is priceless. His huge grin contracts to a flat line, save the front teeth. John’s eyes go huge, the whites almost extending beyond the frames of his glasses. She can easily see the bright blue of his irises, which provides a nice contrast to the burning red in his cheeks. “O….oh, that. I, eheh…” He scratches his ear. “Yeah, I sure did saythat.”  
  
The Seer smirks, Strideresque. “And if I recall, you did just say only a minute or so ago that you wouldn’t mind doing something like that, now that we were out of danger…” Leaning out the slightest bit, she drops her gaze. “…so, I suppose that what I’m proposing is making this time ‘next time.’”  
  
Silence surrounds them, steel and sterile. John seems to be working his jaw hard to form words. “Oh…we….well…” He shifts a little in his spot. “I…”  
  
“Would you rather not?”  
  
“No!” A faint “ _No_!” responds from the walls, making Rose raise her eyebrows and John duck his head. “Wow, that sure was smooth,” he mutters with a blush. “Um, no, Rose, I’d love to, I really would, I just…I’m just kind of a bit nervous I guess.”  
  
“Well, I think we can safely say that we both have our share of nerves about this. If it’s any reassurance, I’m not nearly as confident as you seem to believe I am.” She takes his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. “Why don’t we sit down” –she gestures to her slightly sloppy bed— “and just see how things progress?”  
  
But something about this statement makes John even more flustered, for he blushes even harder and shakes his head. “N-no, wait, I…I mean, not on the bed, not yet, we should be saving that…”  
  
Rose pauses, quirking an eyebrow. “For what? We’ve already committed one act of intercourse, what makes this so different?”  
  
John sputters a string of hasty syllables—including a few that sound suspiciously like “marriage.” Rose blinks.  
  
“Because it was a handjob!” He finally blurts, eyes lighting up. “You see, since only I got to….um, you know, finish, I said I wanted to do something like that for you too. Because it's only fair, really! So, like, let's just do what we did before, only this time I’ll help you!”  
  
Rose can’t help but smirk a little at that. “I don’t necessarily need _help_ with that, John.”  
  
“Oh you know what I mean.” He rolls his eyes. “So, what do you say? Like last time?”  
  
She shakes her head. “Alright, John. Like last time.”  
  
And that is how they end up in a hallway closet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in the original version of this, I mixed up Armageddon and Apocalypse Now, leading to a really bizarre nonsensical joke. the egg was seriously on my face when I realized. would John even have watched Apocalypse Now? who knows


	3. Chapter 3

“John,” Rose states, watching the bed-headed boy darting looks outside as he carefully shuts the door. “Really? A closet?”  
  
“Yup!” Most times John is good at picking out sarcasm. This was not one of those times. “I couldn’t believe it either. I mean, if trolls are so weird about cleaning supplies why would they have closets? Wouldn’t they have shrines for them, or those weird holy underground honeycombs?”  
  
“Catacombs. But John, that isn’t the point.” She sighs, massaging her forehead. “Why a closet? This is unnecessarily risky, anyone could catch us here.”  
  
“Exactly! Just like last time!” He leans over to dim the light to a faint, green glow. Their skin looks a sickly grey in it—Rose looks almost as if she’s been overtaken by the Horrorterrors again, and John is a pair of horns away from passing for a troll. “See, before I was all weird and nervous, but now this feels like the cave!”  
  
Rose just looks at him. “So the only way for you to feel comfortable performing intimate acts with me is to replicate a situation in which we were both in danger of death?”  
  
“…Rose.” And the solemnity of his voice makes her pause. He leans forward to gently graze her cheek with his hand. “Do you remember how this all started? The game, and everything? I had to trust that you would be there for me, even when I couldn’t see you. You’ve always been there for me, even that day with Jack. Well…now it’s my turn.” His hand moves under her chin to bring her eyes to meet his. “I want you to trust me.”  
  
The purple holds the blue for quite some time. A little color blooms in Rose’s face, but she manages a tiny smile. “…I will.” After a moment she chuckles. “You truly are set on making this as much like last time as possible, aren’t you?”  
  
He breaks his serious expression to grin sheepishly. “Heh heh, I guess so. Um…” He bites and releases his lip a few times. “Soooo, can I…”  
  
“Can you…oh.” Rose hesitates, and then leans down to lift her skirt to thigh height. “Yes, I suppose we should get to work on that…”  
  
John moves in close, looking down at her. With one hand he takes the hem of the dress from her, lifting it higher to show black panties held together with purple lace. She sees his eyelids go halfmast, and it makes her shiver. All of a sudden he doesn’t seem his clumsy, silly self.  
  
His other hand goes south, and for a moment her eyes catch those nimble fingers. Suddenly Rose’s heartbeat quickens, shivers of adrenaline crackling in her veins. All of a sudden every thought and fantasy she had about this moment is becoming very, very real. 

The fingers ghost her leg, slowly traveling upwards and leaving trembling skin in their wake. Finally they reach the top of her thigh, and Rose’s breath catches. John’s eyes go up to meet hers, and they are almost disturbingly calm. Rose bites her lip the slightest bit and gives a nod. Under her dress his thumbs hook the waistband of her panties….and with one quick movement they fall. She swallows, shutting her eyes.  
  
She waits.

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
And waits.

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
And waits.  
  
One eye cracks open to find John looking as if he’s facing down an oncoming train. His eyes resemble dinner plates more than anything, and his face is entirely pink, blotching red in some places. All of that supposed cool calmness she had been stunned to find before had vanished faster than you could say “oh.”   
  
“Erm. John? Are you alright?”  
  
“Oh  _yEAH,_ ” he squeaks, voice cracking. “ _EverYThIng_ —.” He pauses, clearing his throat. “Everything’s fine. “

“You just seem so…well, scared.” She smiles in what she hopes is a reassuring way. “I assure you, there is no way I’m capable of biting you...” A hundred hypothetical Daves pop into her head to offer a multitude of the many possible comebacks the Knight could have come up with to that. Quietly she points them back to their own timelines. “Ah--what I’m saying is please don’t be worried...go ahead.”  
  
John gulps, ducking his head. “O…okay.” His fingers twitch on her thigh a bit, sending a shudder down her spine. Slowly, with infinite care, he brings his hand up. Rose takes in a startled breath.   
  
Carefully, oh so carefully, he strokes her. Rose brings her head flat against the wall, closing her eyes yet again. She lets her world fade to the hand that feels her, the wonderful fingers that play her like a song, gently touching the opening-  
  
“I-I can’t-.” John suddenly pulls his hand back. Rose’s eyes fly open. His face is so unbelievably red. “I’m s-sorry! It isn’t you, I just…”  
  
“John, it’s alright. I understand if you’re not ready for this…”  
  
“No it’s not that! I really want to! I…”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I just…”  
  
“John, breathe.”  
  
“Itjustseems!...kind of unromantic.” Before she can ask him to elaborate he straightens up. “I mean it seemed okay in the cave because it was weird and kind of public even if it wasn’t--.” His hands fly every which way in a flurry of expression. “IN public, you know? It was a weird time for us and that sort of thing was okay then but not now because we’re together sort of I guess and now I just don’t really know and because I’m nervous I’ve never touched someone like that and I thought it would be okay like last time but this is totally different—.”  
  
 _“John.”_  
  
“—!..Yes?”  
  
“Remember what we said about Kanaya-style rambling?”  
  
“…yeaaaaahh….” He looks down, nibbling his lip. “Sorry…heh.”  
  
“You’ve said quite a lot without actually saying anything. Please—.”  
  
“Idon’twanttotouchyouthere.”Silence. “B-but not because of _you_ or anything! I’m just…afraid that….”  
  
Rose gives one last attempt.  _“Yes?”_  
  
“That I’ll scratch you.”  
  
“…what?”  
  
“With my nails.”  
  
Seconds of silence trickle past. Finally, one of Rose’s hands ascends, ascends, to clap her forehead. “You could have just  _said_ so…”  
  
“I know, I just didn’t want to gross you out or make you paranoid or anything!”  
  
“And the most ironic thing is, I thought you just might have found me  unattractive. You could have just—.” She cradles her head. “John, you’re eventually going to be using something besides your fingers you might as well—!”  
  
They freeze, the implications of Rose’s words running though both their heads. Her mouth goes tight-lipped, and she feels more than a little heat blossom in her cheeks. Rose chances a glance. Mistake: he looks at her with an almost unnaturally large grin. “Is that….” And his eyebrows wag a bit. “A promise…~?  
  
Rose twitches, angling her head away. “P…possibly.”  
  
He brings a hand to unsuccessfully conceal his laughter, half chuckles and half giggles. Rose pulls a face. “Yes yes, I know, I’m being incredibly foolish today.”  
  
“Yeah, what’s up with that?” But he gives her a gentle smile. “It’s almost kind of cute.”  
  
“Hmmph.” She gives a slight roll of her eyes. “Well then Mister Egbert, what are you planning to do about out predicament?”  
  
John smiles brightly. “Keeping my promise, duh!” As much as it annoys her to admit, her embarrassment seems to have given him a little bit of reassurance. At least he doesn’t look like he wants to run away screaming anymore. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything!”  
  
Rose eyes him curiously as he steps closer. “How so?” She watches him kneel at her feet. “Getting closer won’t change the fact that you’ll be using your fingers.” He lifts her skirt again. “I don’t see how this change in strategy will assuage your fears of…”  
  
Oh.  
  
 _Oh._


	4. Chapter 4

“How’s that?” She gives a gasp as she feels him pull away under her skirt. “Does that…does it feel okay?”  
  
“It…that….” Rose inhales. “It’s okay, John. It is VERY okay.”  
  
“Heheh…good.” She can practically feel him smile against her skin. “One thing, can you do something about your skirt? It makes things a little dark—.”  
  
Records had to be broken with how fast Rose begins to disrobe. The scarf round her waist slips to the floor, and with one smooth motion she pulls her dress over her head, letting it drop as well. She is left in only her pink sweater, shivering a bit and looking down at the boy who rests his head on her thigh.   
  
He smiles up at her in the most endearing way. “Perfect.”  
  
He moves in. “So, can I…”  
  
She shudders  _“Please.”_  
  
And so he moves his tongue between her legs yet again, coaxing a moan from her throat. He starts slow at first, experimental, curious. But even at those first few innocent laps of the tongue she shivers, bringing her hand to clamp on her mouth. He looks up at her, keeping his bright blue eyes on her hooded lavender ones in a surprisingly adorable act of intimacy.  
  
But he’s also judging her reactions. When he actually moves inside her and she gives a hissed “oh god," he stays, getting a little braver. His licks become long and languorous, and he gently nudges her legs a little wider. Rose’s back arches against the wall, her vocalizations become a bit more varied…and frankly, embarrassing, at least in her mind. He goes deeper, his strokes getting slower….  
  
“W-wait…”  
  
John stops immediately. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing, I simply…” Rose inhales, partially to collect her thoughts, partially to try to figure out how to word what she would say. “John, you’re doing…this is fantastic, but I realized…it wouldn’t be fair if you allowed me to climax right away…  
  
He blinks up at her and tilts his head, dog-like, against her thigh. “You really want me to do that? That’s kind of a weird request Rose!”  
  
“I know, but it’s only fair considering…um, what I did, last time.” She gives a polite little cough.   
  
John pouts, drumming his fingers on her upper leg. “Hmmmm…. I guess I could, but I don’t…really know what I could say in between it all! I guess…” He moves in, causing her to cant her hips in…but before she can get used to the sensation he pulls away smiling brightly. “You’re really pretty! You know that?”  
  
Rose just looks at him. “…that isn’t very teasing.”  
  
John pulls a face at her. “Come on, I’m trying! Hmph.” He pouts, moving in again.  
  
And so it goes. Several times John brings her close only to slow down to blurt something adorable, such as how soft she is or how good she smells. Each time Rose blushes harder and rolls her eyes a little more, secret smiles twitching on her lips. Still, with every round of his absurd imitation of a cat-and-mouse game Rose grows a tantalizing bit more desperate, her voice escalating, her body shivering under his touch. He smiles against her, stroking her legs lovingly, all of his fears assuaged. He whispers quiet little message of adoration against her skin, and she murmurs in return, until their voices can give no real words. Only fondness, want.

Maybe even love.   
  
  
“J-John…”  
  
He pauses. “Are you ready?”

She nods shakily. “Yes, I-I’m not sure if…”  
  
“Don’t worry! I’ll handle it!” He holds her hips gently with both hands. “Promise.”   
  
And he leans in, lips meeting lips in a kiss, an actual kiss. And that’s it for her. She gasps, finally crying out with no suppression or hindrance, and warmth radiates through her, starting in the bottom of her stomach to flood her body with shivering, lovely pleasure.  
  
And as he promises, he takes care of everything, carefully lapping every bit of the wetness from her sex, almost savoring it. When he’s certain she’s finished, he carefully stands, helping her lay down against the wall (when had she become so jelly-legged?) and draping her dress over her in an imitation of a blanket. Finally he sits beside her, just as she finally regains her words.  
  
But in the end there is only one she’s able to give. “…wow.”  
  
He chuckles. “Slow down Rose! Remember, dorks like me can’t keep up with super loquacious dames of the dictionary like you!”  
  
“Mm.”  
  
“…uh, you are okay, right?” He frowns a little. “It didn’t hurt or like, melt your brain or anything right?”  
  
Rose looks at him hazily for a moment, only to cover her face and chuckle. “John, sex can NOT melt anyone’s brain.”  
  
“I know that duh! I just…” He puffs his cheeks. “Hm-ph.” But after a moment he smiles fondly at her. “But I guess I’m glad you’re okay.”  
  
She gently takes his hand. “Trust me, John. I’m better than okay.” She leans in to brace her forehead against his. “Thank you. Thank you so much. For…everything. Truly.”  
  
He responds by nuzzling his nose against hers. “Heh. Welcome.” After a moment he smiles, half curious, half mischievous. “Do you think we can try more stuff like this?”  
  
“John.”  
  
“I know, I know, I’m just kidding!”  
  
“Next time.”  
  
“…what?”  
  
She simply presses a finger to his lips. “We’ll worry about that next time.”  
  
John blinks as Rose settles against his shoulder, and eventually he relaxes as well, smiling widely. Hand in hand, breathing peacefully, they sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
An hour later, Jade opens the door.


End file.
